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G. 0. EATON, Decd.

A. I. EATON, Administrator. OABLE ATTACHMENT FOR DUMPOARS.

Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE EATON, NORTH BEND, OHIO; AROHIBALD I. EATON ADMINIS- TRATOR OF SAID GEORGE C. EATON, DECEASED.

CABLE ATTACHMENT FOR DUMP-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,451, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed April 15, 1889.

I clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in cable attachments for dump-cars by which formlng the car is fastened to the cable 'to be drawn to the top of an incline and then automatically released without stopping the car, and is designed for use more particularly on coalelevators and the like.

The cars used on coal-elevators usually consist of a box much wider at the top than at the bottom, set 011 a four-wheel truck. They are drawn up an inclined plane or track by means of a cable wound on a drum at the top. \Vhen the cars reach the top of the incline, it is desired that the momentum under which they are moving be utilized to carry them to any desired point on top of the dump -or tothe entrance of the mine. That this may be done itis necessary to detach the cable from the car without stopping it, and thereby losing the momentum. Ordinarily the cable is provided with a hook on the end, which is caught in a ring 011 the front of the car, and a man stands at the head of the incline and as the car comes up runs with it until he can loosen the hook and then springs out of the way. As the car sometimes is moving very rapidly and is very heavy, it is very dangerous to the attendant. He is liable to make a misstep and be caught. Large lumps of coal often fall and are liable to injure him. The difficulty of unhooking the -cable while the car is in motion is so great that where the incline is at all long the car has to be stopped or almost stopped before it reaches the top to steady the vibrations in th e cable, in order that the attendant may be able to catch it accurately and with safety. The caris then started again rapidly to give it the proper momentum when it reaches the.level track. It is then necessary to slack the cable in order to release the hook. This is done by stopping or slowing the drum after the car has reached the top. The end of the cable is then thrown out and is almost sure to fall across the track, where the car runs over it, cutting it and soon wearing itout. It is also liable to throw the car off the track. To remedy these difficulties various clutches have been arranged to automatically open and release the cable; but these have been too complicated to operate with accuracy.

My invention consists in providing the car with a hook of peculiar construction and arrangement and the cable with a link which will slip out of the hook when the car passes under the drum without slowing the drum.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the track, showing the car and attachment, drum, and cable. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the link and hook constituting the attachment.

Like letters of reference indicate identical parts.

A is the track.

B is the car.

O is the cable, wound on the drum D, situated over the track with space enough for the car to pass under it. To the front end of the car isfastened a hook F with the open side up. The angle of this hook is about in aperpendicular line with the forward edge of the top of the car, so that the point of the hook is several inches back of that point and under the flare of the car. I find in practice that this is preferable, as the link will slip readily out of the hook when thus located, and if the hook be made too long it is apt to have too much spring and throw the car off.

To the end of the cable I attach a bent link E. A straight link under ordinary circumstances can be used, though I prefer the form shown. As the car reaches the top of the incline and passes to the level track instead of the heavy grade, its momentum increases at first, the tension on the cable is decreased, reducing the friction between the link and the hook to a minimum, so that the change in the angle of the link or cable and the hook as the car approaches the drum causes the link to slip out of the hook and release the car before it comes under the drum. The cable swings forward as soon as the link is re- IOO leased and is drawn up out of the way of the car, while the car passes on to the desired point without any loss of momentum. The slight increase in the speed of the car as it passes onto the level track does not slack the cable, but lessens the tension sufficient to let the link slip out of the hook without stopping or slowing the drum. This is a great advantage, as the drum then draws the cable e11- tirely out of the way and avoids all danger of tangling or injuring the cable.

In order to prevent the link slipping back on the hook in case of any slack in the cable and then turning so as not to come off the hook, I provide two lateral arms G G 011 the hook at short distance back of the angle, the ends of which are preferably bent upward, by which the link is always held in position to be readily detached as the car passes under the drum. By this arrangement the cable is automatically detached from the car without slowing or stopping the drum, no man is needed to do the work, and a very considerable saving is secured, no risk of life or limb is incurred, and the cable is drawn out of the way Where it cannot be cut or throw the car ofit the track.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. A cable attachment for dump-cars, consisting of a hook attached to the car and e11- gaging with a link on the cable, in combination with a drum carrying the c ble, located above the track so as to change the angle of the cable as the car approaches the drum and disengage the cable without changing its speed, substantially as described.

2. The hook F, attached to a dump-car and provided with lateral arms or guards to keep the link E always in position to be readily released, in combination with the elevated drum D, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A cable attachment for dump-cars, consisting of the hook F, provided with guards G G and bent link E, attached to the end of a cable moving on a drum or guide elevated above the car, substantially as described.

GEORGE C. EATON.

\Vitnesses:

ARCH. I. EATON, JAMES B. MATSON. 

